If Darkness Should Fall
by Tinuviel Anarian
Summary: Elessa is used to a cruel life...but then she is brought into Legolas's world, and they find a love is forming between them. A love they can't have. For neither of their classes can accept this situation, and the Prince is bethrothed to another...
1. Daily Life

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of Dr. Tolkien's fabulous characters….L 

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Wow…this is my second fan fiction about Legolas. I'll tell you right now…I'm not a lover of him. I really just like a good character to manipulate. No offense to the Leggy lovers out there. 

I know this is probably a really cliché story and I'll probably get many a good flame, but I'm going to tell you right now….YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THIS STORY. Its called free will. Use it. 

Go ahead and flame me if you feel the need, but I write to write, not for reviews. So take the flames to some other poor Mary-Sue writer and shove them up their a**.

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I must warn you…I may go a bit out of character from Tolkien's Elves. I know that they would probably never have servants or class divisions or torture and beat and rape one another, but this IS Fan fiction, so bear with me.

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STORY TITLE: If Darkness Should Fall…

RATING: R for torture, love, sexual references, and maybe an NC-17 rape chapter later…but I will make it skipable. I don't want ff.net on my back.

MAIN CHARACTERS: Legolas, son of Thranduil (canon)…

Elessa Moonstream… servant in Mirkwood Palace

Ananqua…Nobility…son of Haranuil, a Lord of Mirkwood.

PLACE/SETTING: Mirkwood….(may change)

STORY SUMMARY: (may be a bit mary-sue or cliché) Legolas finds Elessa, a beaten servant. Good friends (hmmm…) they become, but Legolas is betrothed…to the daughter of Elessa's cruel former master. Can love find a way…or will it fall from glory?

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This story shall be written in third person. If, for some odd reason, you see that I go out of it, into first person, correct me. I have a nasty habit of changing person by accident.

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PROLOGUE - Life is Death

He slammed her small body into a wall as he entered the room. A cry was heard, whether it was his cry of pleasure, or her cry of pain, was not to be distinguished. 

"Stupid Dog!" he shouted at the girl. She had crumpled to the floor in a heap, "Get up!"

She stood, but not because she wanted to. Her hair, once a deep brown, now resembled the color of mud from the dried blood that clung to it. Her grey eyes were hollow from the loss of her spirit and her body was bony, a result of scarce food.

She was only a little past a century in years, but her mind held pain and knowledge far beyond her years. She whimpered as he drew closer to him, his arm raised.

It came down hard on her skull, but she had expected the blow and managed to stay on her feet. 

Please she thought, a tear running down her cheek, Let me die by his hand, for life is too much to bear. Life is death to me now

A blow came down again and this time she crumpled. She looked up, tear blinded, as he removed his belt from his waist. 

The sneer on his grave and cruel face was appalling. She looked away and heard dully as the belt cracked the air, meaning to intimidate her. She did not care anymore. Her senses seemed numb from to much pain.

Her arm was wrenched up by her master, pulling her body with and, and from the force, causing it to twist into an odd angle. She winced, but refrained from crying out. She knew he loved the sound of her frightened voice.

He always did this to her, almost every night, and after it, he took her to his bed, and there was when she felt the most suffering. Being bound, hand and foot, to the carved posts. Feeling his large body against her. The racking pain in her legs and abdomen. His groans of pleasure as he bore into her. It was all too much to her tired mind. She had to get away from it.

Her chance came as he walked away from the cruel infliction of the wide leather band across her back and arms. He needed something else.

She ran to the door, which was still slightly ajar…not closed all the way. With his back still turned, he barley heard as she fell from her weakness, almost hitting the stone wall head on. She stopped, taking a breath and pulled the door open.

He turned, letting out a cry of rage, and leapt at her, forgetting the chain in his hand. 

With all the force she had left in her body, she threw herself through the door, slammed it behind her and ran. She could hear, as she fled, the sound of voice in pain, for she had cracked the door onto his hand.

Down the halls she ran. Not many times had she been abroad in the palace. Normally, she had been locked in her Master's room, but she knew it well enough from memory to know which way to the servant's wing.

It was the last place he would look for her, and he would look for her far and wide, but in the most of likes he would go outside first, or ask a helpful guard.

She might stand a chance for a while to go with the servants.

Finally, her weariness overtook her, and in the shadowy stony hall, she sat down, beaten back against the wall, head in arms, and cried.

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Did you like it…..there will be more coming, just wait till I can get it written.


	2. Brutal Discovery

I don't own Tolkien's stuff……

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So….how do you like it so far? Good? Good.

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PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:

This chapter should be a bit more interesting. The last one was just background. In this chapter I get into a bit of Elven Healing magic. 

I think the way their healing skill works is that Healer Elf take good energy from well parts of the patient's body and brings it to the sick parts and heals them. I think that cuts and things like that disappear as the new energy heals. So in a way it's a bit more like a ritual with magic than just an act they perform.

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Chapter 1 - Brutal Discovery

Legolas walked swiftly down the halls of the lower wing. He had to get away from all the activity… it was getting to be overwhelming. The feast hall was packed full of Elves, drinking, eating and being merry, but he did not feel like a feast tonight. 

Instead, he walked the halls of the servant's wing, determined to do something other than get cornered by some husband-seeking maiden. He was sick of the proposals, the fawning and the jealous looks.

He sighed, coming to a halt in the middle of a barren hallway. All the servants were at the feast. He stood still for a moment and his brow furrowed as he listened far off. He could her the sound of crying, and then the sudden sound of a man's voice. It sounded cruel, threatening. He knew almost immediately who is could be.

He continued walking, brushing stray strands of his silver-blonde hair from his face. He really didn't want this now.

He turned a corner and pursed his lips, picking up speed, at the sight.

A figure stood there. A man with dark hair and a cruel disposition. His name was Haranuil, one of the Overlords of Legolas's father's land. Under Haranuil cowered a small figure, it was crying, whimpering under his raised hand. He brought his hand down and the figure, a girl, let out a cry. He took her by both arms and mercilessly wrenched her from the ground.

Legolas stepped forward, "I would ask you to unhand her." he said, pitching his voice so that it had the sound of steel on steel.

Haranuil let go abruptly and the girl fell back against the stone wall.

"Your Majesty…" Haranuil breathed, "I…well, I…"

"I have only the faintest ideas of what you were doing but they are enough." The Prince said, imperiously, "She is a servant of your, no doubt?"

"Yes…" Haranuil replied, his voice laced with venom, "And a rebel at that! She was running away again! I only meant to-"

Legolas smiled a fake smile and said, in a mocking tone, "You only meant to… what? Kill her?"

"I-"

But the Prince cut him off swiftly again, "Leave. I have no more wish to see you right now."

Haranuil gave the Royal a glare that could crack stone itself and grabbed the girl by the arm.

"No!" said Legolas quickly, "Leave her!"

"Your Majesty, She is my property-" 

"I said leave her." Legolas said in all finality, "I will speak with you later, in private."

"Yes, Milord." Haranuil said, a sneer on his callous face, as he walked away, down the dim halls.

Legolas went to the girl, who still hovered against the wall, clinging to it, her breath coming in shaky sobs. He put a hand under her chin and lifted her head until her eyes were level with his, but she would not meet them. She tried to bow her head down again, but the Prince would not let her.

"What is your name?" he asked, his tone kinder to her than to Haranuil.

She hesitated before answering, but in the end, let out a small whisper, "Elessa…" 

Speaking seemed to be causing her pain, and on closer inspection, Legolas saw the many lashes on her back and arms and the bruises on her neck and wrists. His look was that of disgust as he surveyed the pitiful form in front of him.

"You need to see a healer…" he muttered, looking away from her face and up and down her thin body.

"Your Royal Highness…" she whimpered, "Please, let me go. He will be even more harsh if I don't go to him soon. I…"

"Harsh?" Legolas echoed, amazed, "Elessa, That was not harsh, that was ruthless. Come with me."

Elessa hesitated before doing so. She knew that her master would kill her the next time he saw her, she was sure of this. Knowing Haranuil, he was already planning ways how, either that, or finding a new slave to torture and molest.

"I must insist." Legolas went on, his tone still soft and low, "If you do not come with me, I will drag you. I am Head Healer in the palace. If anyone, including your master, dare oppose me, they will answer to my father. You are under my rule and protection. I command you to follow me and accept my help."

Elessa followed slowly behind the adamant Prince, walking slowly toward the Healing wing. She stumbled once, but Legolas caught her, smiling into her grey eyes.

"Your okay…lean on me…" he offered, but the young girl refused. Instead, she walked, her breath raspy and her steps uneven, alone until they reached a door Legolas stopped before.

Please let him be kind… Elessa thought to herself as he opened the door slowly, I have no more strength left to fend him off. I hope I am dying. Please, just let him be benevolent to my condition. I would have him kill me, If I could. Maybe wolfs bane will be among the healing herbs he stores, or vivane root. They are quick

Her thoughts ran through the list of poisons that could easily kill her. She was a peasant by nature, and her family's pride had been on their knowledge of herbs and all things natural. 

Legolas, on the other hand, had very different ideas running through his mind.

She may have broken ribs, or at least bruised ones. he thought, trying to sum up her injuries by sight, The bruises and the lashes of the whip would be easy to heal. If she has internal injuries…please let her allow me to restore her body.

Legolas motioned for Elessa to sit down on the bed in the corner of the room. The room itself was dimly lit, only a fire and few candles illuminated the wall, table, chair and cabinet that were nestled among the corners, seemingly etched in the stone walls.

Elessa noticed, if the Prince did not, that her body was shaking. She knew why. It had not been many times that she was alone in a room with a man and he was not advancing on her. But The Prince seemed to be different. He stood at the tall cabinet, rummaging through its contents and taking chosen things out and laying them at the fireplace. Next he put a pot of water on the already roaring fire to boil.

When he finally turned to look at her, she felt not a wave or dislike and malice, but found instead a kind smile coming her way.

"I need to ask you, though I'm not sure I should, to take off your clothing," he said carefully, "Take this and wrap it around your waste, then lay down on your back as gently as you can."

He handed the shaking girl a soft green blanket and she did as he commanded, although she was not sure what was to happen next. But to her amazement, he was not interested in her body, not in the way she thought, anyways.

"Now, I'm going to heal you. It'll be very long and you'll be very weak throughout and after the procedure." he stated, although she knew the process, "I assure you, though, you will be safe with me."

Her thoughts told her to the Prince, although her body shook more than ever as she allowed him to help her lay down on her painful back.

"Now just rest…" The Prince said, his voice soothing, "And I will take care of the rest…"

She felt his hands move across her body, and felt the healing that her body was going through. She knew from experience how draining healings can be, both referring to the person being healed and the person doing the healing.

Only a few times in the 5 years she had been Haranuil's slave had she ever done a healing on herself. It was hard and took more out of a person doing it on themselves as opposed to someone else, because you have to use all your health healing the hurt parts of your body. If you work a healing on someone else, you can mix your health with theirs and eliminate most of the outcoming weakness.

It tore her so much, because if she was weak, she stood no chance of fending her Master off, but if she did not do a healing, she would've most likely died.

"Shhh…" Legolas said, after over an hour of trance-like healing for the both of them, "Its almost done…"

He sighed, finishing the work on her arms. He had to get her away from Haranuil. Legolas had always hated the elf, but there was nothing he could do about it. Haranuil helped to manage one sector of Mirkwood's forest area, but he was known for being cruel. The only reason he still held a noble position was because in these times of evil Thranduil wanted no civil wars.

Elessa was shaking when, after a total of 2 hours, he finished the healing, and she had drifted into unconsciousness. 

He smiled and pulled another blanket up over the girl. She was safe in here. He needed to go now and make sure she would be safe forever.


	3. Night Talk

I don't own Tolkien's Stuff

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I hope you like it. Sorry it took so long……..

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Chapter 2 - Night Talk

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Legolas walked down the halls away from Healing Wing and off to where he knew Haranuil currently resided. When Haranuil was not at his castle in the southern vector of Mirkwood, he held a room in a higher floor by Legolas's own.

"Lord Haranuil?" Legolas said, knocking softly on the door and hoping he was there.

"Yes…" came the cynical voice of the overlord as he opened the door, but his voice changed as her saw the Prince standing there, "Your Highness? How may I help you?"

Haranuil, although he was bigger, he was by no means taller or more imperial than the Prince. He seemed to cower and sneer under the Royal's gaze.

"May I come in." It sounded like a question, but Legolas, by no means, meant it as one.

Haranuil stepped aside. The Prince came through the door, and saw a room much similar to his own and many others in the palace. He sat in a chair opposite the one Haranuil sat in.

"I come in regard to what I witnessed earlier today." The Prince began, and not kindly at that, "It is something I have never seen in this palace before."

Haranuil could offer no explanation, so he merely let the Prince go on, berating him even more, "I don not know what has possessed you to treat anyone, even a servant, like that, but I have never seen anything so appalling my life. If I ever hear again that you have done something like this again, even from the lowest servant child, I will kill you myself."

Legolas sat calmly while Haranuil processed this information, knowing full well the Prince was not lying. Legolas hated to be like this towards anyone, but in a situation as this, there was nothing else he could do.

"I apologize profusely for my actions…" Haranuil said in a falsely humble voice, "I lost my temper at the disobedient girl, my lord, I am truly sorry."

"I've no doubt you've done it before, but I will forgive your actions for now, Haranuil…" Legolas said, thinking the whole time that he would never forgive this cruel person, but he had to find a way to secure Elessa and this was it.

"Yes, my Prince?" Haranuil pressed.

"Elessa. The girl." Legolas said, "I am removing her from your control and placing her in my own."

"If that is your wish, my lord," Haranuil said with pursed lips. He did not want to lose such a beauty, but he had no choice.

"Yes, I insist on it. If you ever lay a hand on her, you will answer to my Father." Legolas vowed, "On my word, you will. Have a good evening, Haranuil."

The Lord stood up and bowed to the Prince as he left, but he felt no respect at all. He would get that girl back some day and he would make both the Prince and her pay.

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Sorry its so short, but it was all I had.

See you later.


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